Itauma: Next fight likely to be early 2026

Moses Itauma believes he is unlikely to fight again before the end of the year.

The rising heavyweight star is coming off a breakthrough performance when he knocked out Dillian Whyte in their first round in August.

Itauma had been looking to keep that momentum going and box again in December, but now expects his next fight to take place in the early part of 2026.

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"I wanted to box December 13 but I think that got kind of anointed to Dillian Whyte versus [Derek] Chisora. So I feel like it's going to be something end of Jan, end of Feb. So we'll see," Itauma told Sky Sports News.

It means he will only have boxed twice this year and, with his propensity for knocking out his opponents, that's been scarcely three rounds of action in 2025.

Looking ahead to next year, Itauma said: "You can set yourself goals and you'll never be able to achieve it only because it's never in your hands. My goals are to knock everybody that they put in front of me out. But apart from that, I can't really do much."

A complication for plotting Itauma's next move has been the situation of the WBA 'regular' heavyweight title, their secondary belt.

Itauma had been mandated as the next challenger for the WBA 'regular' belt held by Kubrat Pulev, but the Bulgarian has since announced a fight with Murat Gassiev in December.

Itauma's promoter Frank Warren said: "We've got to see what happens with this Pulev situation because the WBA ordered that fight and he can't get out of it. We'll see where we go.

"They're talking about they want to go to Dubai for this Gassiev fight but the WBA has not sanctioned that fight, to my knowledge. How can you sanction a fight if you're putting another one out? So we are where we are."

Wardley a 'real Rocky story'

Itauma's gym-mate Fabio Wardley seized the heavyweight limelight over the weekend with his stoppage victory over Joseph Parker.

Itauma commended Wardley's showing. "He's just beat a guy who's got a whole amateur pedigree, has fought all these names and Fabio's just come there with a couple of unlicenced fights and now could be potentially boxing for the heavyweight championship of the world. It's not a mockery of the sport, it's more a real Rocky story," Itauma told Sky Sports News.

"If he does fight [Usyk] I would back him all the way but it's a difficult ask. He's in the same gym as me so I'm never going to hate on him.

"He's done it himself, but he has definitely overachieved in the sport. So anything that he does from now on is always going to be just a bonus."